Cardio vs Weight Training

Hi All -- I just wanted to get opinions from everyone. I have been here 4 weeks, and I have been faithfully going to the gym 4-5X/week. I have been doing cardio and weight training each day. 30 mins cardio and 30 mins weight training. But i read so many different articles on losing weight vs cardio vs weight training. This past weekend, I decided to go into the gym and I did 1 hour cardio, no weight training, and I really felt a difference in the way I felt and the way my clothes fit.....so my overall question is, should I do hard cardio for one or twe weeks, to drop some weight and then mix in the weight lifting? I just feel that I have gotten to a plateau and just feel better when I do more cardio. Any suggestions, advise w10344221.png
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Replies

  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
    I try to mix it up. I think you just have to find what works for and what you need to reach your goals. I do weights usually Mon, Wed & Fri and either walk or do the eliptical Tue & Thurs & sometimes Sat if I have the time. So far this has been working for me. You need to give your muscles a break and not work the same muscle groups every day.

    Good luck.
  • FatDadSlim
    FatDadSlim Posts: 497 Member
    I think you have answered your own question there!
  • myak623
    myak623 Posts: 615 Member
    I truly believe you have to do both. A good way to start would be to alternate your days. Try cardio M,W,F and weights T,Th,S and take Sunday off. If you do decided to do both on the same day, you should always do weights first, then cardio. It is extremely important not to neglect weights, though. As you build muscle, you will burn more calories while resting. This will aid in weight loss all day long. Good luck! Sounds like you are on the right track!
  • Coltsman4ever
    Coltsman4ever Posts: 602 Member
    Hands down, the more muscle you have the more fat your body burns. I would keep doing both but you have to change up your workout routine every now and then. Your body gets use to it and stops responding if you don't.
    Both are good though.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    What you can do is the days you do strength training do both (maybe 3 days/week) then the other day or 2 do cardio only)
  • punpunks28
    punpunks28 Posts: 4 Member
    I think it is whatever works for you. I do at least an hour of cardio everyday (only 30 minutes on Sunday usually) and then I alternate yoga and weights/strength class at a gym for at least 30 minutes after cardio.
  • mandysjourney
    mandysjourney Posts: 260 Member
    I did just cardio for a little while. Now I do cardio tues thur and sunday, weights mon and fri and take wed and sat off. Sometimes the days differ a bit and sometimes I walk on my off days if i feel like it. working for me

    Alkso when at the gym doing my weights I do a little cardio mainly as warm up and cool down though for a about 25 mins all up cardio time
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    I do about an hour of cardio a day, then on alternating days I do weights for about half an hour.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    Whoever said you can't do both at the same time? I mean not as is weights for 30 mins, then cardio for 30 mins. I'm talking simultaneously.
    I have a routine I coined "The Burnout Routine" I do it with an Olympic Barbell with 45lbs plates on each side so that's about 135lbs. I do each exercise for 8-12 reps with no break in between exercises, only take a 1 minute break after the final exercise. That counts as 1 set. I do 8 sets total. This takes me about 40 mins. My heart is racing afterwards, more than it will ever get doing Zumba that's for dang sure! Plus I'm getting my strength training done also.

    Squats
    Deadlifts
    Clean and Press
    Bent over rows
    Shoulder Press
    Bicep Curls
  • jezzi16
    jezzi16 Posts: 128 Member
    I do cardio 5x a week and strengh 2x a week -cardio anywhere from 45-60 minutes and strenght usually 30-40 minutes. And I always do strength first so I don't get and injury during the cardio.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    a cardio only plan while losing a large amount of weight is a good way to end up "skinny fat"
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I think you have answered your own question there!

    I agree with this. There are a lot of "anti-cardio" people on this site. Most are bodybuilders and seem to think everyone else should be too. But I've always had the most success with doing primarily cardio (aerobics). I do some strength training for firmness but aerboics is where I go to drop a dress size.